Empower-ED Webinars
Welcome to our online educational sessions – EmpowerED webinars.
Join us from the comfort of your home to learn from experts in the field about pancreatic cancer diagnosis, treatments, clinical trials, support services, and advances in the field of pancreatic cancer research.
Watch Past Webinars
Tuesday, 12 September | 5pm AEST | FREE
Presented by Dr Jeremy de Leon, Radiation Oncologist, GenesisCare Sydney
Tuesday, 6 June | 5pm AEST | FREE
Presented by Shannyn Brown, Senior Social Worker, Sydney Local Health District
A diagnosis of a pancreatic cancer, changes everything in a moment. This webinar will explore the many challenges that must be navigated both practically and emotionally for patients and families.
By the end of this webinar we hope that you feel you have a better understanding of:
- Strategies to critically reflect on your own experience and adjustment.
- Strategies to feel empowered to collaborate and advocate with your treating teams.
- Practical information and education about the support available.
- Parallel planning with supportive care/ palliative care.
- How to facilitate discussion with family about experience of adjustment.
Tuesday, 4 April | 1pm AEST | FREE
Clinical trials test new experimental methods of treating, detecting, preventing, or managing a disease such as pancreatic cancer. In this webinar, Dr Caroline Le will discuss how clinical trials work, how they can be beneficial for people with pancreatic cancer today and for those diagnosed in the future. She’ll also discuss how to find out what trials are running and if there might be a trial for you.
Tuesday, 21 February | 1pm AEDT | FREE
PanKind’s ManyHands is a free App, that makes it easy for patients and carers dealing with the disease to mobilise family, friends, and colleagues to provide practical and emotional support, when they need it most.
The app lets you easily coordinate help from loved ones around you, to take care of the day-to-day tasks that can be left behind when someone is dealing with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis and dealing with the disease.
This webinar will be presented by app co-creator Dr Susan Palmer and go through how to use the ManyHands App and how it can help you as someone living with or caring for someone pancreatic cancer.
Monday, 12 September | 5pm AEST | FREE
With a cancer diagnosis it can make you feel like you've lost control, but one area that can support you to make choices that improve your quality of life is palliative care.
Once considered solely end-of-life care, the field has changed significantly and offers quality of life support in a wide range of ways to help you feel better and in more control, even while you're going through treatment.
The webinar will be a panel discussion featuring:
Dr Davinia Seah - a palliative care doctor at St Vincent's Sacred Heart
Camilla Rowland - CEO of Palliative Care Australia; and
Milton Kirkwood - A carer's perspective.
The webinar will be split into 2 sessions separated by a short break:
1. General information about palliative care - what it is, what benefits it can have, how to access it.
2. Palliative care as part of end of life care - planning ahead, what options are available, how to access it.
Tuesday, 10 May | 1pm AEST | FREE
- Information about managing diet and nutrition when you have, or a loved one has pancreatic cancer. Including information for those who have had surgery or other treatments for pancreatic cancer.
- Background on what the pancreas does and how pancreatic enzymes work in the body.
- Tips on how to get the best out of your pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), including when to have the medication and in what quantities.
- Information about the ASPERT research group trials and how the results may help people with pancreatic cancer.
Thursday, 18 November 2021 | 5-6pm AEDT | FREE
- Overview of the research projects PanKind is currently funding
- An update on the "big picture" of pancreatic cancer research around Australia and globally.
- Exciting breakthroughs in the field of pancreatic cancer
- An update on clinical trials
Michelle Stewart
Chief Executive Officer, PanKind
Michelle will provide an update on our research strategy.
Ross McKinnon
Director of Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer &
Chair, PanKind Scientific Advisory Panel
Ross will give an overview on PanKind-funded research, pancreatic cancer research, clinical trials, and any significant research break-throughs.
Thursday, 11 February 2021 | 1-2pm AEDT | FREE
Tanya Dwarte
Clinical Research Coordinator & Associate Genetic Counsellor
Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Tanya Dwarte will present about genetics and pancreatic cancer. She is a Clinical Research Coordinator and Associate Genetic Counsellor.
Her presentation will highlight the current understanding of sporadic and inherited forms of pancreatic cancer and provide an overview of inherited cancer syndromes and the associated pancreatic cancer risks. Information about the process of a genetics assessment, including consideration of genetic testing for pancreatic cancer patients or for those with a family history of the disease will be addressed. This will include brief discussions about some of the potential benefits and potential limitations or harms of genetic testing.
The presentation will then introduce the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Screening Program, a research study that aims to identify individuals who have a higher chance of developing pancreatic cancer because they have been found to have a faulty gene or syndrome, or due to their family history. This study is investigating the potential clinical benefit of endoscopic ultrasound and MRI to detect early signs of pancreatic cancer to improve patient outcomes.
Finding Support Services
Tuesday, 8 December 2020 | 6-7pm AEDT | FREE
2020 has been a challenging year for all of us and the lead up to the holidays can be a particularly hard time emotionally and financially. It can also be a time where we think about our legacy and making memories with our families.
This webinar is intended to help people with pancreatic cancer and their families find and access practical, financial and emotional support services.
Chelsey Upston
Team Leader
Clinical Nurse Specialist 13 11 20
Cancer Council
Chelsey Upston, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Team Leader for 13 11 20 at Cancer Council Victoria. She will discuss the role of the 13 11 20 cancer nurses as a resource to access cancer-related advice, programs and support services. She will give a brief overview of Cancer Council’s emotional and practical support programs and how people affected by cancer can access them.
Jo Marx
Co-founder
it's about us
Jo Marx is Co-Founder of It’s about us, a not for profit charity that provides a free digital support tool for anyone affected by cancer. This unique template-based book enables one to document memories, feelings, emotions and important messages in a beautiful personalised way. Jo will be discussing the cathartic benefits of writing as therapy and sharing how the free digital book can be accessed as well as how the accompanying workshops are run.
Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis and New and Emerging Therapies
Tuesday, 10 November 2020 | 7-8pm AEDT | FREE
"very informative, thank you for sharing the information" ~ webinar attendee
Dr Andrew Dean
Head of Medical Oncology
St John of God Hospital
As part of World Pancreatic Cancer Month, PanKind are hosting an educational webinar with the hope of continuing to increase awareness, earlier diagnosis, and improve survival from pancreatic cancer.
Intended for GPs and health professionals interested in learning more about pancreatic cancer, this webinar will provide an update on pancreatic cancer signs and symptoms, diagnostic techniques, as well as new and emerging treatments. Dr Dean presents compelling research and treatment approaches that show why Australia is leading the world in pancreatic cancer survival.
Presenting this webinar is Dr Andrew Dean, Head of Medical Oncology at St John of God Hospital in Perth and a consultant for GenesisCare. Previously, he established the palliative care service at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and St John of God Hospital in Perth and was appointed professor of palliative medicine by the Edith Cowan University. He flies himself to a variety of rural areas in Western Australia including Geraldton and Broome to provide outreach oncology services.
Dr Dean will present for approximately 45 minutes followed by a 10-minute moderated audience Q&A.
Empowering Treatment Partnerships
Wednesday, 21 October 2020 | 5-6 pm AEDT | Free
Michelle Di Vito-Smith
Principal Consultant
MDVS Clinical Pty Ltd
This webinar is intended for people with pancreatic cancer and their families. It will focus on strategies to support you to empower treatment partnerships and drive your treatment journey ensuring all your options are considered.
When the time is right, be empowered to know your options. It is an emotional time of uncertainty when confronted with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis and the most important person during this time is you. It is essential that medical partnerships are maximised to ensure all options are considered for your treatment care plan.
Presenting this webinar is Michelle Di Vito-Smith, a pharmacologist with over 25 years of experience leading the implementation of clinical trials in Australia and New Zealand.
A recent personal experience, coupled with Michelle’s professional background, has drawn her closer to supporting cancer patients through her own venture. It has become her passion and mission to empower cancer patients to drive their treatment journeys and connect them with early access options beyond the medicines on the pharmacy shelf.
Michelle will present on the following topics for approximately 45 minutes, followed by a 10-minute moderated audience Q&A.
• Partnering with your clinician
• Clinical trials – access to innovation
• Be informed to feel empowered and in control
Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research
Tuesday, 1 September 2020 | 5-6pm AEST | Free
"Thank you for making this webinar so accessible, learning about the amazing work being done to advance knowledge of the causes, diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer is very heartening" ~ webinar attendee
We begin the EmpowerED webinar series being joined by leading professionals:
A/Prof Nick Pavlakis
Oncologist
Royal North Shore Hospital
- Presenting an overview of advances in pancreatic cancer research.
Amber Johns
Project Manager
Australian Pancreatic Genome Initiative
- Presenting an update on the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Genome Initiative.
Prof John Zalcberg
Oncologist
Monash University
- Presenting an overview of clinical quality registries with a focus on pancreatic cancer.
Learn from leaders in the field about what’s new in pancreatic cancer research. Our presenters will also discuss how the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Genome Initiative is helping uncover the genetics of pancreatic cancer, and how Australian clinical quality registries are improving care and treatment.
